Joystiq's significant others name Guitar Hero III game of the year

by Justin McElroy { Dec 20th 2007 at 2:26PM }

Our exhaustively debated, occasionally pretentious list of the year's top games will be on the way soon, but we wanted to try something a little different to whet your appetite. We polled our wives, girlfriends and boyfriends (all of whom fall somewhere between casual and medium on the hardcore gaming spectrum) and asked them to choose their favorite games of the year.

We opted to be more casual with this list, allowing games that may not have been released in 2007 as long as the significant other in question spent most of their time with them this year. So, it's without further ado that we present the top five:

1. Guitar Hero III
2. Peggle
3. Rock Band
4. Super Mario Galaxy
5. BioShock

Way to go, everyone! What was interesting as we collected this list was the wide variety of games that were represented, many of which wouldn't even get a mention in most GOTY debates. Now, is that because they haven't played as many games or the more frightening option: Because they've lived a 2007 unpolluted by hype and are unafraid of picking the games that really brought them the most joy? Honestly, we're still not sure.

Check out all the also-rans after the jump.

Other Joystiq significant others' nominees for Game of the Year:

Ratchet and Clank Future
World of Warcraft: Burning Crusade
Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
Guitar Hero II
God of War II
Motorstorm
Super Paper Mario
Bookworm Adventures
Evidence
Marvel Ultimate Alliance
Prism
FreeRice.com
New York Times Crosswords
Picross
Super Mario Bros. 3 (Wii Virtual Console)

Tags: activision, game-of-the-year, GOTY, Guitar-Hero-III, guitarheroiii

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Fernando Rocker @ Dec 20th 2007 2:32PM

All the list is good except Guitar Hero III

Noshino @ Dec 20th 2007 2:37PM

wow, for once Fernando accepted that R&C is good?

Fernando Rocker @ Dec 20th 2007 2:40PM

Average good... not Mario Galaxy excellent.

Chaotic @ Dec 20th 2007 2:33PM

How could they have spent a significant amount of time with Guitar Hero III or Rock Band? Those games just came out in November!

Ghen @ Dec 20th 2007 4:00PM

Guitar Hero 3 is my first guitar hero game. I started out by 3 and 4 starring easy mode songs and gradually worked up to 5 starring hard mode songs by this point and working my way into expert. So yeah, I think the game has been out long enough to justify its placement.

Roto13 @ Dec 20th 2007 4:51PM

A month is enough time to judge any game.

Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Dec 20th 2007 2:39PM

Don't understand all the Guitar Hero 3 hate. It's a good game. Not as good as Rock Band, but good enough if you don't want to spend extra money and only want to play Guitar.

XanthouS @ Dec 20th 2007 2:41PM

It's a cheap cash-in and actually a step BACKWARD from GHII.

Couple that with competition from the far superior Rock Band and you have an answer for your hate.

copa @ Dec 20th 2007 2:45PM

I think that sums it up, and it's really more disinterest than hate. GH3 is a step backward from GH2, and Rock band is a step forward.

Mr.ESC @ Dec 20th 2007 2:48PM

Wait GH3 is worst than Gh2?,How is that even possible? I thought Legeds of Rock included better songs.

Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Dec 20th 2007 3:01PM

I don't know. I actually like GH3. You're right, it's not as good as Harmonix's offerings, but it's still fun to play.

Yuccadude @ Dec 20th 2007 4:06PM

I dislike GH III because it doesn't offer the scoring after a song in co-op to see how many notes you hit and how many your friend missed. It's nice to be able to play with a friend on Live, but other than that, not as good as RB.

copa @ Dec 20th 2007 2:41PM

I would be very curious as to why your SO's chose Guitar Hero over Rock Band. Is it just that they had only played one or the other?

Somehow, I just can't see them complaining because Rock Band didn't have enough Dragonforce.

The Artist formally known as Jesus @ Dec 20th 2007 2:50PM

It's cause they all suck with drums and have terrible voices.
That's the only logical explanation.

plyx @ Dec 20th 2007 2:54PM

Well, Guitar Hero III is kicking Rock Band's ass in sales. Name brand recognition.

Fanboy @ Dec 20th 2007 2:45PM

Bioshock > Peggle

Geist @ Dec 21st 2007 4:00AM

Not to what might be casual players. My girlfriend went crazy over Peggle for some time, while ignoring Bioshock, and even she is in love with Halo.

Fanboy @ Dec 21st 2007 8:16AM

uhh sounds to me like your girlfriend is a dork..loser

Charolastra @ Dec 21st 2007 4:51PM

Bioshock > Peggle
but
Peggle > GH3

Mr.ESC @ Dec 20th 2007 2:47PM

I never got the chance to play GH3 so I'm still playing GH2 which I bought last week for my Ps2 because I was being pressured to buy it, I was going to buy GH3 for the Ps2 but I decided that I wanted to play that one on my XB360 as soon as it gets back with Mass effect, Naruto,The Simpsons and all other games I bought on discount in Sam’s club.

Now I never played Rock band for the same reason but let me ask something
Are the songs of Rock band better than the ones of Gh3? Because I was playing GH2 which is the first game of the genera I bought and the songs are kind of meh, I like some of them but not all also that I thought it included some of the Tenacious D songs but as I soon discovered there were none of them.

Fernando Rocker @ Dec 20th 2007 2:58PM

My cousin have GHIII and I played the game, but the songs are meh IMO. Guitar Hero 2 also is not my style.

My favorites are Guitar Hero 1 and 80's =)

DCBlack @ Dec 20th 2007 3:05PM

I would give the edge to RB on song list, especially considering the DLC options.

Mr.ESC @ Dec 20th 2007 3:09PM

I only played the Demo and I liked most of the Songs I mean The scorpions,Pat Benetar and Tenacious D I thought it was cool.

GH2 was kind of meh since is one song per group and I don't fell they choose the best of each for example I'm an Aerosmith fan and the only Aerosmith song avalible wasn't one of the best and all the Aerosmith songs use the guitar so whats the excuse there?

Guns and Roses is cool and while Sweet Child O'mine is pretty awesome the lack of "You could be Mine" or "Shotgun blues" was pretty sad

Jeff @ Dec 20th 2007 2:52PM

Did the significant others that voted for GH3 have a chance to play Rock Band? The superior game is a no-brainer.

-Jeff
http://alinktothefuture.com

Mr.ESC @ Dec 20th 2007 3:00PM

Is the song selection better? Because so far I was playing GH2 and I only like 10 of the 55 songs or is because you get to play more instruments?

Jeff @ Dec 20th 2007 3:21PM

Well, more instruments and better songs, and much much better downloadable content as well. Sure, GH3 has some great songs as well, but the only time I've only played GH3 once since getting RB, and that was only because a friend of mine brought his guitar over so we could go through the co-op mode. (Maybe if my RB guitar worked in GH3 that wouldn't be the case).

It's probably not out of the question that more of the songs from GH3 will make it into RB as well. If I had to request 1, it'd probably be Welcome to the Jungle. Unfortunately, I have a feeling that given the competing music games now that both companies are probably locking up "exclusives" for their games. It wouldn't surprise me if Guns and Roses fell into that category since Slash is actually in GH3.

-Jeff
http://alinktothefuture.com

danny. @ Dec 20th 2007 2:53PM

by those criteria the GOTY would have been:
1. Animal Crossing
2. Super Mario Bros. (VC)
3. Castelvania (VC)

David @ Dec 20th 2007 2:54PM

I dunno about this list... Their boyfriends are Joystiq staff, so we already know they have no taste.

Thr3e2wenty8 @ Dec 20th 2007 2:58PM

Joystiq = trendsetters

[fake suprise] WTF?! Madden didn't make the list?!
[Madden Widows cringe in disgust]

tmacairjordan87 @ Dec 20th 2007 2:58PM

thank god casual's dont actually get to choose goty

Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Dec 20th 2007 3:02PM

Thank god that retards such as yourself can't choose GOTY as well.

tmacairjordan87 @ Dec 20th 2007 3:08PM

i could definitely make better choices than GH3, like games that actually deserve to be nominated for goty (bioshock, mass effect, galaxy, cod 4)

Sorry i'll let you get back to new york times crosswords, it's probably high up on your list for goty

ThornedVenom @ Dec 20th 2007 4:00PM

What's wrong with casuals? Is it because a game is non-hardcore that it doesn't deserve a GOTY nomination?

Reward genius and brilliant execution, not discrimination based on genre.

Mr Khan @ Dec 20th 2007 4:16PM

I'd say any "Game of the Year" has to fall under 2 criteria, excellence within its genre and either A: Created Great Sales or B: Inspired insane levels of positive response (for goty's like last year's candidate, Okami)

With that in mind, it would go to either Halo 3, Portal, or Super Mario Galaxy

of course, as GOTY forces you to compare between genres, i ignore it because its an apples to oranges thing

nick @ Dec 20th 2007 3:01PM

I'm sorry, but this list is so disappointing. Guitar Hero III game of the year? Chosen by significant others?

First of all, the whole thing seems pointless. I guess I could randomly poll those in a retirement home and get an equally questionable list.

Leto @ Dec 20th 2007 3:03PM

Yeah, placing GH3 at the top is absolutely mystifying. Perhaps it just has to do with brand recognition and who had a chance to play what, considering the price differential. This list is an amalgamation of the rankings of lots of different SOs and I'd imagine they aren't all as aware of developments in the gaming community as their Joystiq counterparts are.

Matt @ Dec 20th 2007 3:03PM

GH3 > Rock Band
I have fun trying to beat GH3, rock band is not a challenge (on guitar)

LuckyEMS @ Dec 20th 2007 3:36PM

GH3 isnt a challenge when compared to GH2

Joe @ Dec 20th 2007 3:44PM

It's rape.

rainking187 @ Dec 20th 2007 3:03PM

What the hell is a Peggle?

Blazur @ Dec 20th 2007 3:11PM

Peggle is actually suprisingly addictive. Think Plinko on the Price is Right, only add a wide variety of bonus powers. If you've got Orange Box, there's a demo version of Peggle Extreme you can download for free. The final version of the game (Peggle Deluxe) can be purchased for $10 and is quite worth it in my opinion.

Mr.ESC @ Dec 20th 2007 3:12PM

I'm glad you asked.
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/zeropunctuation/2280-Zero-Punctuation-Peggle

rainking187 @ Dec 20th 2007 3:36PM

Well, after playing it I don't think Peggle deserves to be a GOTY candidate, much less a winner, but that video convinced me that I'm not watching anywhere near enough of Zero Punctuation.

Blazur @ Dec 20th 2007 3:05PM

Who the hell nominated Super Paper Mario?!? Rock, Paper, Scissors is more enjoyable than this steaming pile of crap.

Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Dec 20th 2007 3:07PM

BAAAAAWWWWW!!!! I HATE THIS LIST BECAUSE THE PEOPLE WHO VOTED DON'T THINK LIKE ME!!!

Jesus Christ you guys make this into such a big deal. So what if they picked Guitar Hero the best? Is it going to ruin your enjoyment of the game? No. Will Harmonix stop making Rock Band? No. It's just a little poll that Joystiq did. I honestly have no idea why the hell would you get upset simply because your favorite game didn't make #1.

tmacairjordan87 @ Dec 20th 2007 3:10PM

the same reason you're pissed at the people who are pissed, if it doesn't bother you why complain?

Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Dec 20th 2007 3:16PM

But it does bother me that people like yourself, groan and moan simply because someone else have different interests than ourselves. Which is why I rant alot. As I said so what? So what if a reviewer says shit about a game, and so what if a girlfriend or boyfriend likes a game that's typically more mainstream? I mean you guys act as if every gamer should think alike, and like the same damn things and those that don't, obviously something is wrong with them.